Temple Owls
Offensively Temple comes in averaging 33.7 points per game, 349.8 yards per game, and a third-down 45.16% conversion rate. No longer just a basketball school Temple has become a solid football program. They do most of their damage running the ball by putting it on the ground a little bit over 60% of the time averaging 161.8 rushing yards per game. East Carolina does not have a very strong run defense so Temple will likely focus their attack on the ground. I think this aspect in this game will be crucial, and I also think East Carolina is going to step up at home to limit Temple moving the chains.

Defensively Temple is allowing 14.7 points per game, 295.5 yards per game, and have a third-down 23.86% conversion rate. Defensively they have been outstanding but in the two times they have faced good passing attacks, Cincinnati and UMass, they have allowed an average of over 400 yards in those contests. To Temple's credit they won both of those games but they are facing a different type of monster in East Carolina that has a high completion percentage and trying avenge last year's loss.

East Carolina Pirates
East Carolina averages 32.8 points per game, 433.8 yards per game, and have a third-down 45.56% conversion rate. Predominantly a passing team, tonight you can look for East Carolina to put the ball up a bit more than they normally do than their 52.33% average. With a completion percentage of almost 70% I expect the Pirates to play to their strength and avoid the strength of Temple's defense which is stopping the run. This is a team that knows how to move the ball down the field and score in the red zone.

Defensively East Carolina allowed 31.5 points per game, 428 yards per game, and a third-down 37.89% conversion rate. As mentioned, to me this will be the guts of how this game is going to be won. East Carolina has been solid at getting pressure on the quarterback but they have not been good stopping the run allowing 187 yards per game. At home this season they are 3-0 and they should be fired up and prepared to win in the trenches against a good, ranked Temple team.

College Football Odds
College football odds makers have made East Carolina a slight favorite at -2.5 and I agree with them. For one of your college football picks I recommend taking the Pirates in this spot to win by touchdown at least. At most places the juice on taking East Carolina is a little bit high but not so bad at 5 Dimes at -115.

Overall in my estimation this is one of the more interesting matchups of the entire weekend. Two teams with two different strengths should make for a really good football game. In the end though I believe East Carolina will get enough stops and be able to score with their really good passing attack. For one of my College Football Picks this weekend I'm going to take East Carolina -2.5.